The pandemic has triggered a rethink on how we want to live. At the prime end of the market, compound living is a concept gaining traction overseas. This is where several family members can live within the same grounds but in different properties – grandparents in a guesthouse, for example, across the lawn from their grandchildren.
Number 1 Broomfield Woods in Malahide could serve a similar purpose. One of just four sizeable, four-bed detached houses, it extends to 265sq m (2,852sq ft) over its three floors.
The handsome brick- and cedar-fronted scheme was built in 2007 by local developer John R Moore. Set on a large corner site, it comes with a south-facing side garden where its owners have planning permission to build a second home, a two-storey, three-bedroom house of about 195sq m (2,099sq ft).
As it stands, the property also has a lot to offer a buyer in the time of coronavirus. It opens into a large hall brightly tiled in polished crema marfil. Here, the owners set up a bar for a relative’s 80th birthday party, adding LED lights and an array of the finest spirits – it has since become a permanent fixture.
From here, double doors lead through to two dual-aspect rooms. The large kitchen diner features a smart timber and stainless steel Alno kitchen, a German brand supplied by McNally Living.
Set in a c-shape with a peninsula breakfast counter, its design is amenable to entertaining as it means you can chat with guests while cooking or prepping on the quartz countertops. The living room is a lovely balanced space with windows bookending the fireplace. One of these could be converted to a glass door to give direct access to the garden.
The large outdoor space includes an exterior chimney breast where the owners have installed a chiminea. The lawned space has several seating areas, a Japanese-style garden and a garden room currently in use as an artist’s studio but could equally become a home office or gym or yoga hub.
Three of the property’s four bedrooms are on the first floor. The main bedroom has anthracite metallic wallpapered walls and a shower en suite.
There is a sizeable bedroom on the second floor where a quartet of rooflights wash the blue-painted space in light. The sizeable landing has also been turned into a home office.
The property has a B3 BER rating and is seeking €1.55 million through agent DNG.
Number 2, a similarly-laid-out home, which was the original showhouse within the development, came to market in November 2018 seeking €1.25 million. It sold in May 2019 for €1.2 million, according to the Residential Property Price Register.
